


Arms Open

by KatieWho



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Amelia is Team DeLuca, Andrew is looking out for the people around him, F/M, Sickfic, a lot of fluff with a teeny tiny bit of angst, post 15x11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-22 07:50:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17658884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieWho/pseuds/KatieWho
Summary: The way her eyes glistened Andrew assumes she might have a fever, her reddened nose indicating she had to blow it every few minutes. She looked more like death warmed over than herself. And it worried him that no one seemed to notice. Or bothered enough to talk to her and make her go home where she could rest and sleep.





	1. my love, my arms are open

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with yet another story up my sleeve! I really hope you'll enjoy it! :)  
> A big thank you goes to the lovely **cartoonheart** for beta reading and helping me a lot! THANK YOU! :)
> 
> And now, have fun!

Andrew stood in the hallway, a rather worried expression on his handsome features. He was watching Meredith, who had been looking pale and worn since the moment she had arrived at the hospital today.  
The way her eyes glistened he assumes she might have a fever, her reddened nose indicating she had to blow it every few minutes. She looked more like death warmed over than herself. And it worried him that no one seemed to notice. Or bothered enough to talk to her and make her go home where she could rest and sleep.  
She was a brilliant surgeon and a great doctor...she should know better than to drag herself to work in this state. It would do neither herself nor her patients any good. And Andrew knew it wasn’t exactly his place. They weren’t together or anything. These days she spent more time with Dr. “Link” than him. It almost seemed like she was trying her best to ignore him, even though that proved difficult because he was on her service this month. And he had looked forward to working with her, experiencing first hand how brilliant she was in surgery. And maybe even get to know the woman behind the accomplished surgeon better. But besides her teaching and showing him a few techniques, they hadn’t really talked or shared much at all.  
It was frustrating to him that she was withdrawing herself when he had been so sure before that she was even the slightest bit interested in him too. They had almost kissed in that elevator for heaven’s sakes! And she had been the one pulling him closer.  
His head hurt from the mixed signals he was receiving but tried to push it aside in favour of watching over her. If no one else acknowledged she was sick, if she didn’t do so herself, he could damn well try and make sure she didn’t faint because she forgot she needed to eat and drink even more now than usual. He dragged a hand over his face before turning around and making his way to the cafeteria. Since he couldn’t just inject her the fluids she needed he had to get some water into her the old way. And maybe get some sweets for her blood sugar. He shook his head incredulously.

As he rounded the corner to get back to the surgical floor, hoping he’d find Meredith there, he stopped in his tracks as he saw Dr. Lincoln talking to her.  
“Meredith, you should get home, don’t you think?”, the man said in a quiet tone but she just looked at him annoyed. Much like she’d rather be anywhere else right now. “I’m fine, I told you!” Her indignant words were accompanied by a slight sneeze and Andrew had to fight the urge to smile at the situation. So someone had noticed.  
He wished he wouldn’t care so much that it was Link. But then again, she wasn’t listening to him.  
He was torn between feeling smug because Link wasn’t getting anywhere and the growing worry he felt in his heart for her. She was looking worse than this morning and he wondered how long she’d be able to keep up this act before she actually collapsed somewhere. Preferably not during surgery. Because while he still felt high on having flown solo not too long ago, he didn’t need the distraction of her having fainted with exhaustion in her OR when he would still have to finish her surgery.  
Then again, Meredith had always been stronger than people assumed. She didn’t need his protection but he couldn’t help wanting to offer it to her. Making her realise she wasn’t in this alone and could lean onto someone else. And he badly wanted to be that person for her.

He watched the blonde guy leave and saw Meredith rub her fingers over her forehead like she had a headache. He sighed and made his way over to her, the bottle of water in one of his hands. There was half an hour before she had to go into surgery and he wanted her to at least use that time to get a little break. Just a small one.  
“Drink this.”, he said calmly and held it out to her.  
Her tired eyes turned on him and she started to shake her head. “I’m fine!” He thought she wanted to say the words with some heat, maybe even wishing to scare him away with them, but instead it sounded exhausted and not at all like the woman he’d come to know.  
She was knackered. And the day hadn’t even really started yet.  
Andrew’s worry grew.  
“You’re not!”, he hissed back, anger seeping into his tone at seeing her be so careless with her own health.  
Meredith looked at him surprised and he grabbed her left arm, carefully pushing her into one of the on-call rooms in the hall. He closed the door behind him and pushed the water bottle into her hands. “You’re going to drink this and then eat this.”, he pulled the Twix bar out of his lab coat and thrust that into her hand as well.  
“And then you’re going to take the next 20 minutes to just lie down, alright?”  
He watched her intently for her reaction.  
The astonished look on her face would’ve been amusing if it hadn’t been laced with utter effeteness. “Look Meredith, you’re sick, you have a fever, you shouldn’t be here today.” He paused for a second, feeling his heart beat rapidly in his chest. He wanted to respect this line she had drawn but couldn’t help himself right now. It hurt him that she wasn’t looking after herself.  
It was admirable how much work, time and effort she put into taking care of her patients and making them feel better. She should do that with herself as well.  
“I’m not trying to make you leave, okay? It’s not my place. But you need to realise that you can’t work in this state. So drink and eat and take a nap or just lie down or whatever. Please.”  
Meredith looked at him with furrowed brows but didn’t say a word. Instead, she took the cap off the bottle and took a slow sip, before turning around and sitting down on the bed, twisting the Twix bar in her fingers. She looked at him through her lashes and Andrew felt a small smile tug at his lips.  
“Thank you.”, he said in a low voice. “Now, I’ll be getting you in half an hour, so don’t worry about that.”  
He didn’t wait for a response and left the room, closing the door behind him. He just hoped she took the time to actually get some rest.

Standing in front of the closed door, Andrew took a deep breath, trying to get his thoughts under control. There was this part of him that had just wanted to lie down with her, to hold her in his arms and feel her breathe even out as she falls asleep. He’s hoping she’ll take a nap. To even get the slightest amount of energy to make it through the rest of the day.  
“DeLuca?”, a voice called out for him and he spun towards the source.  
Amelia was looking at him with a grin on her face, like she knew something others did not. It made him feel slightly uneasy.  
“Yeah, Dr. Shepherd?”, he replied, cocking his head to the side, trying to cover up what he was thinking. Or feeling.  
But the grin stayed firmly on her face, in fact, it seemed to grow bigger the longer she stared at him.  
“Did I just see you escorting Meredith into the on-call room? I didn’t know you were into her, DeLuca.”, she teased him, still smiling.  
It was unsettling him.  
It’s not like he wanted to hide his feelings for her, but having one of her sisters find out, when they weren’t even a thing? Probably wouldn’t ever be, the way she was ignoring him lately… It wasn’t exactly the ideal way for someone to find out. Not right now anyway.  
“It’s not...not like that.”, he stammered and waved his fingers through the air as if that would explain it.  
“No, what is it then?”, she continued her teasing and stepped closer. Andrew instinctively took a step backwards, guarding the door. He didn’t want Meredith disturbed, he’d just gotten her in there to take care of herself.  
“It’s...we’re not...I’m not…”, he kept stuttering. The urge to slap himself grew with every word he couldn’t get out properly and he sighed. “She’s resting.” He eventually told her and saw her stop in her tracks.  
“Why would she be resting now if she only got out of bed like four hours ago?”, she wondered aloud, her brows furrowing slightly, worry etched onto her features.  
“She’s sick, alright? And she won’t let anyone take her home or let herself be persuaded to go home and just get better. She’s stubborn that way. I just got her to take a few minutes rest and she shouldn’t be disturbed.”, he offered as an explanation. He needed her to understand so she wouldn’t go barging in there.  
“I can talk to her and make her go home. I’m her sister, she’ll listen.”  
“Well, you can certainly try. In twenty minutes.”, he told her and crossed his arms over his chest, standing taller. “Also I’m not sure you’ll be able to convince her when even Dr. Lincoln couldn’t.”, he emphasised the name, the jealousy evident in his voice even though he tried to swallow it. _Not my place…_ , he thought bitterly.  
Amelia’s grin returned to her face. “Alright, in twenty minutes then.” She turned around and started walking away, when she suddenly stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. “For what it’s worth...she’s not into him. Yeah, she likes him well enough, but she’s not into him.”  
Andrew stared after her, dumbfounded and his mouth slightly agape. _What just happened?!_

The next minutes flew by. He stayed close to the room, trying not to hover but knew it wasn’t of much use. He wanted to make sure she was okay, but also didn’t want to cross the line she had drawn.  
It was a difficult task.  
Before he even realised the twenty minutes had passed already, Amelia was standing in front of him again, waiting to be let into the room.  
“Give me a second, let me see if she’s awake.”, he absentmindedly said and walked into the room, closing the door behind him before Amelia could try and take a peek inside. He missed the soft genuine smile that Amelia threw his way.  
Meredith was curled into herself, the blanket drawn over her chest. She was snoring softly, probably a side effect of being congested all day. Andrew smiled at the sight despite himself. The woman was sick, after all. But he couldn’t help the feeling of affection rising inside of him. She looked adorable like that. Even sick.  
He walked over to her cautiously, not wanting to startle her out of sleeping. He noticed the half-empty water bottle to the side of the bed and the wrapping of the Twix bar he had offered her, also empty. He kneeled down beside the bed and gently shook her shoulder, calling out her name softly, until she squinted her eyes, slowly waking up.  
“Mhm…?”, she mumbled sleepily and Andrew’s fingers brushed a strand of hair from her cheek on their own accord. Meredith leaned into the touch and Andrew could feel the heat emanating from her skin. She most definitely had a fever.  
“Meredith, you need to wake up.”, he whispered to her again and the woman blearily opened her eyes, only to furrow her brows at the sight of him. “Andrew?”, she murmured confused and tried sitting up, only for a wave of dizziness to hit her.  
Andrew supported her and held a hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling over. “I really think you ought to go home.” It was said in such a soft tone that he almost didn’t hear himself speak. Meredith didn’t seem to have heard him.  
“How long was I asleep?”, the blonde wanted to know, running a hand over her face.  
“About twenty minutes, I guess.”, he offered and then took a look at the door, knowing Amelia wouldn’t wait much longer until she barged in to talk to her sister.  
“Amelia wants to talk to you.”, he added and saw a frown form on her pretty features.  
“Andrew, I told you I was fine!”, she exclaimed tiredly, resting her head in her hands. “I just needed a quick break.”  
“No, I think you still do. And one that’s longer than this one just now.”, he disagreed and shook his head lightly, before standing up again. “But I’ll let her do the convincing. I know you won’t listen to me.” Andrew offered her a quick smile before stepping outside once more.  
“You can go in now.”  
Amelia nodded and went in.

Five minutes passed and nothing happened. Andrew didn’t want to eavesdrop but if he heard a few words while guarding the door so no one came in, then he couldn’t be blamed for that, right?  
But he couldn’t make out a single word that was being said.  
So when after these five minutes the door suddenly opened and Amelia was standing in front of him, he jumped. He hadn’t anticipated her coming out yet. He thought there’d be some loud voices and snarky remarks. But there were only whispers and now Amelia standing right in front of him.  
“She’ll be ready to leave in a few minutes, I’ll take her home.”, she told him with a reassuring smile and looked back to the barely open door. There was some rustling to be heard and Andrew wanted, not for the first time today, just to be there for her.  
“Thank you.”, he said gratefully and nodded. He wished he knew how she did that.  
Amelia just looked at him silently for a few seconds, as if she was assessing him and it made him uneasy once again. Did it have to do with what she told him earlier? He still didn’t know what to make of it.  
“Hey, Amelia. What did you mean by-?” Andrew got cut off by her pager which started beeping insistently.  
“Ah damn, I need to go to the ER. Emergency craniotomy.”, she cursed under her breath. “You take her home, alright? I’ll be over to look after her later. Just get her home, DeLuca.”  
Before he could respond properly, she had left running.

Andrew opened the door a peek after knocking and stuck his head inside. “Amelia had to leave. I’m taking you home.”, he offered when he saw the confused look she was shooting him. “There was...an emergency surgery she needed to get to.”  
The words kept coming as she didn’t seem to have anything to say to him, at all.  
Instead, she was just standing there, in the middle of the room, looking at him. Her face was deathly pale and she just kept standing there, squinting.  
“Meredith?”, Andrew started to worry and took a step closer, seeing her sway to her right slightly, before steadying herself.  
“Andrew, I’m not feeling too great right now.”, she eventually spoke in a hushed voice, a hand extending in his direction.  
He took the few strides to her side, taking her hand in his own and putting an arm around her shoulders to steady her.  
She leaned heavily into him, squeezing her eyes shut. “Oh God, make it stop spinning.”, she breathed out, resting her head on his shoulder.  
Andrew rubbed slow circles over her back. “Do you wanna sit down?”  
She shook her head, only to groan at the motion.  
“Alright then.” His gaze turned over the room, patiently breathing in and out, trying very hard not to notice how good she smelled or how his heart was beating rapidly in his chest at having her this close. He wished his mind and body would just shut up for the moment.  
“It’s better.”, Meredith eventually said and lifted her head again, slowly opening her eyes and letting them adjust to the light in the room.  
“Well, let’s get you home then.”  
He smiled at her as he took the few things she had, and accompanied her outside where her car was waiting. He didn’t want to risk driving with her on his motorcycle should the dizziness return.  
She still had her scrubs on, but as long as she didn’t seem to care, he wouldn’t either.

The car ride was over fast enough. He only had to stop once because Meredith thought she was getting sick, but didn’t in the end.  
So now they were walking up the stairs to her house and every once in a while her fingers would search for his hand because her world started swimming and swaying and tilting again.  
He couldn’t have been more relieved when they finally got inside and she went to sit down on her couch. That way if she felt dizzy she wouldn't fall on hard concrete.  
Andrew saw her making herself comfortable, tugging her feet under herself and pulling one of the blankets over her figure as she was shivering lightly.  
He made his way into the kitchen and prepared a chamomile tea for her to calm her stomach, always watching her from the corner of his eye. He just wanted to make sure she hadn't passed out yet. At least he kept telling himself that.  
To be honest, he just really enjoyed looking at her, no matter the state she was in. She was beautiful to him.  
_I really have it bad, don't I?_ , he thought, a smirk forming on his lips as he shook his head.

He took the cup of tea and brought it over to her, sitting down beside her for a moment and pulling the blanket over her shoulder where it had fallen off.  
“Try and drink this.” Andrew held up the steaming cup towards her and waited patiently as she uncurled her fingers from the blanket and took it.  
She blew at it for a while as they sat in silence.  
Andrew would leave soon, he just wanted to make sure she was settled in properly to rest.  
Amelia had told him that the kids were still in school or kindergarten and that she'd let Maggie know to get them so that Meredith wouldn't have to worry about it.  
His thoughts were interrupted by Meredith who suddenly sat up straight and breathed heavily, one hand resting on her chest as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.  
“Meredith?”  
Andrew carefully took the cup out of her grasp and put it on the table, his eyes never leaving her.  
All of a sudden she jumped into a standing position and dashed towards the stairs.  
Andrew was right behind her. He got a good idea where she was headed.  
He heard a door close and the sound of retching following soon after.  
He turned the handle and opened the door an inch, so she could hear him. “Meredith, I’m coming in, okay?”  
He opened it fully to find the blonde woman kneeling over the toilet, her hair building a curtain around her face.  
He made his way over slowly and sat down beside her, brushing the strands away carefully. “It’s okay…”, he offered soothingly and rubbed circles over her lower back, trying to calm her down.  
Her eyes were closed and she let her upper body fall to the side, resting herself against Andrew who held her in this weird kind of half hug.  
“Are you feeling better?”, he asked her, still brushing her hair behind her ear and holding it there so it wouldn’t fall into her face again.  
Meredith nodded.  
“You wanna get up?”  
She shook her head lightly and groaned, holding her stomach.  
Andrew wanted to get her a glass of water, a toothbrush, anything, but she was clinging to him, her sweaty forehead damp against his skin and he didn’t dare move.  
“Thank you.”, she mumbled and dragged a hand over her face tiredly. Andrew just nodded, not saying a word.

They stayed like this for a few more minutes until Meredith’s stomach had calmed down enough that it was safe for her to stand up without feeling the need to empty the rest of her stomach’s contents into the toilet. Andrew finally got her the glass of water and put it on her bedside table while Meredith was brushing her teeth and changing out of her scrubs.  
She looked worn when she exited the bathroom, her feet shuffling over the floor. She crawled into bed and Andrew helped tuck her in. Just to be safe he had put a bucket filled with a splash of water beside the bed if she needed to throw up again.  
“Alright Meredith, I’ll let you get some sleep now…”, he said sheepishly, trying to hide the smile tugging at his lips at the sight before him. His heart swelled with affection for the woman lying in bed.  
He went to leave when a hand suddenly clasped at his forearm. Andrew turned around once more and looked at Meredith confused.  
“Are you alright?”, he wondered worriedly, taking her hand in his own and stroking his thumb over the smooth skin.  
“I’m sorry for ignoring you lately, Andrew.”, she mumbled so quietly that Andrew had a hard time understanding what she was saying. “You’re very kind, DeLuca.” There was a small smile playing on her lips and the dark-haired man just kept looking at her. He didn’t know what to make of this. He should probably leave and not take advantage of her like that. She had a fever. That’s why she was saying these things to him. But Meredith just kept on talking. “It’s a scary thing, caring for someone, you know? I cared for many people. They left. Or died.”, she sighed heavily and rubbed her nose, eyes still closed.  
Andrew kneeled down beside her, still holding her other hand, and gently caressed her cheek. He could feel the sadness shining through these words. She had lost many people, it felt like she couldn't afford to lose another one.  
“That’s why I ignore you. I’d really hate losing you too.”  
Andrew watched her dumbfounded at what she had just told him. It made his heart soar and drop at the same time. That woman was an enigma and if he concluded correctly it meant...that she cared for him as well and was just as scared as he was. And he couldn’t believe it. Couldn't believe this was real and happening.  
His heart beat rapidly in his chest.  
He brushed another strand of hair behind her ear and let his thumb rest softly on her cheek, taking in a deep breath of air. He felt like flying and jumping up and down in joy. There was also relief thrumming in his veins at her words. It meant he hadn't just imagined things.  
“Meredith, I promise I won’t leave if I can help it.”, he told her in a hushed whisper and felt joy at seeing the small smile on her lips return. “But that is a conversation for another time. You rest now.”  
He hesitated a second before leaning over and planting a soft kiss on her forehead. He hovered for a moment, breathing in her compelling scent and then stood up again, letting go of her tiny hand that had felt so warm and comfortable in his own.  
“Sleep well, Meredith.”, he whispered in her direction before stealing a last glance at her figure and leaving.  
Her soft snores accompanied him till he was out of the room.

Closing the door behind him, he took a few minutes to just stand there and contemplate what had just transpired in that room. To collect himself and not entirely freak out - but in a positive way.  
_I have a chance!_ , he thought happily.  
He took his phone out of the pocket and let Amelia know with a few quick words that Meredith had gotten home safely and was asleep now.  
All the while remembering what she had told him.  
His heart was still pounding in his chest that he thought it might jump out any given moment now. Thought it must be so loud that she'll wake up again any second and take back her words.  
_I have a chance!_ , he grinned at that. He’d give her time to get better and then...then he’d do everything in his power to convince Meredith Grey that it was worth choosing love over the fear of losing that person you loved again.  
Love was always worth it.  
He jumped a little, a spring in his step, as he left the house to get back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe we'll see each other in a second chapter, I'm not sure yet but I have a few ideas, so stay tuned! :)


	2. let me be the ground underneath your feet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the second part! I hope you like where this went. Amelia is still **#TeamDeLuca** and as long as I write, she'll always be! :D
> 
> A very special thanks goes out to the lovely [cartoonheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cartoonheart), who beta'ed this for me and helped a lot when I was stuck somewhere. Thank you for sharing your ideas with me and always listening to my rants! :)

It had been three days. She had stayed at home for three days, sick. It had felt like an eternity to her. She hadn't stayed at home for more than a day in years and it had felt so weird. To do nothing but take care of her kids and herself for once. But it had felt just as good as well. To just be and not worry too much about anything at all.  
And then Amelia had dropped that bomb on her. And suddenly her rather quiet mind had gone into overdrive. Because she thought she had dreamt that. Everything.  
Instead, she had to realise it actually happened. All of it. Every single second.  
She groaned again, remembering the conversation they had when Meredith woke up the other day.

 _Amelia was sitting at her bedside, her cold fingers brushing over her cheek to gently wake her from her slumber, whispering her name._  
_Meredith groaned at the touch, her fever still bothering her, and she blearily opened her eyes, blinking a few times to clear her vision. “Amelia?”_  
_“Hey there, sleepy head.”, she greeted her sister-in-law with a slight smile. “I've got some pills for you. Should help with the fever and headache.”_  
_Meredith nodded slowly, careful not to move too much or too quickly as to worsen it. She looked around for a second, wondering how and when she made it home, or what day it was, as Amelia handed her a cold glass of water. It gave her a weird sense of deja-vu but she couldn't quite grasp it before it was gone again._  
_Her mind was fuzzy._  
_“Are you okay, Mer?”, the other woman wondered, putting a hand on her shoulder to get her attention._  
_A moment of silence followed, before Meredith eventually answered, realising Amelia was getting worried. “I think so.”, she mumbled and rubbed a hand over her forehead. She turned to Amelia. “How did you know I had a headache?”_  
_“Oh, Andrew mentioned it before I left for the day.” The younger woman shrugged and stood up, taking the bucket with her into the bathroom. Meredith followed her motions with her eyes._  
Andrew? How did he know…?, _she thought to herself, her mind not quite catching up. The memories of the day before were blurry and as much as she tried to remember, as soon as a memory was in reach of her, it seemed to fade again just as quickly._  
_It was frustrating._

She had fallen asleep again soon after, and Maggie and Amelia had taken care of her kids for the rest of the evening, to ensure Meredith got some rest. But that short sentence was like a snowball that got loose and started rolling to uncover the things she had buried deep in the depths of her mind, thinking it was just something she had made up in her dreams during her fever. It was the next evening, when she had settled her kids into bed and stayed with them until they were asleep, that her own exhaustion was calling her into bed. She was on the verge of falling asleep herself, when words popped into her mind that immediately left her wide awake.  
_“That’s why I ignore you. I’d really hate losing you too.”_  
Had she really said that? To him? When? How?  
She remembered sitting up and running a hand over her face, before letting it rest on her chest.  
She had tried to recall how he reacted, but it wouldn’t come to her. And when she had said those words to him. The fleeting image of his face before hers came to her mind but it was gone again before she could grasp it. So she had tried to fall asleep again but instead lay awake for the rest of the night, pondering the words she had uttered and wondering what he made of them. If he even made anything of them. She also wondered why that suddenly mattered to her, what he thought.

And now it was morning and she hadn’t slept a wink. She was supposed to go back to work today. But then she’d probably run into him and that was...well, she didn’t know what it was.  
She was confused. By what she had said to him, and by what Amelia had told her. How had Andrew known she had a headache? It riddled her.  
And why had she said that? When? She got a little anxious just thinking about it because those are not things she normally says out loud. Much less to the person it concerned.  
Some of her memories of the last three days were still foggy, and it felt like they were important. Like they held some answers she was desperately looking for. But they just wouldn't come to her. Every time she tried it felt like she was pushing them further away and it frustrated her to no end which also caused more anxiety to bubble up inside of her.  
She had never been good at handling emotions, not those of the people around her and much less her own. It was easier to run away from them but that seemed impossible now that those words had settled into her mind like a broken record, repeating themselves over and over again.  
She shook her head, trying to clear it as she walked through the doors of the hospital. She had to focus, now. She couldn’t muck up her work just because the mere thought of him distracted her. Not that she was actively thinking of him - she was only trying to recall what else she had thrown his way. At least she told herself that. Truth be told, he had been on her mind a lot lately. There was just...something about him that made her want to give in to his advances. But at the same time, she was scared. Terrified, really. And although she hated admitting that to herself, she was. Because what he offered seemed great, and Andrew was a good person, passionate, kind. He was good with kids. She couldn’t find a proper fault in him that diminished the pull she felt towards him. So she hid behind excuses and lately resorted to ignoring him because that was...well, it was easier. Because if she didn’t give him any chance to get close to her, he couldn’t get under her skin, could he?  
Then again, the way her mind was circling around him lately, that hadn’t worked.  
Added to that was what Amelia had said, something she still didn’t quite get fully.  
How had he known she had a headache? Had it been that obvious that she hadn’t felt too good that day? She huffed and made her way to the attending’s lounge.

It was about time for lunch when she finally got the first moment of the day to just sit down at the nurse’s station. Her day had been packed with surgeries and calls for consults so far and she hoped she’d get the next few minutes to get a bite to eat before her stomach started rumbling so loudly that the whole ward heard it. Not a thought she particularly enjoyed.  
She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the figure on her left until the person put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.  
“Huh?”, she turned around and saw Andrew standing in front of her, that smile of his plastered on his handsome features and she felt herself smile in return. For a moment she forgot she wanted to ignore him.  
“Hey, how are you feeling?”, he asked her and leaned his back against the counter near her.  
She tilted her head at his question, wondering why he’d want to know.  
He seemed to sense that and made a quick hand gesture. “You’ve been sick the last couple of days. I just wanted to check.”, he offered sheepishly and ran a hand through his hair.  
“Oh!” She was surprised. So he had noticed, it seemed. Was that why he had told Amelia she had a headache? “I’m feeling much better, thank you!”, Meredith eventually replied and kept staring at him, not exactly knowing what to say.  
Andrew just watched her and after a moment something changed in his demeanour. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it though.  
“That’s great!”, the words were stuttered and he stood up again, burying his hands in the pockets of his scrubs. “Anyway, I gotta run.”  
He spun around and started walking away, when he turned again and held his hand out to her, holding something in it. “To keep your blood sugar up, it didn’t look like you had the chance to eat yet.”, he offered as an explanation before putting it on the desk and leaving.  
This time he didn’t look back.  
Meredith stared at the Twix bar, the wrapping slightly reflecting the ceiling lights.  
An image suddenly popped into her head at the sight and a feeling of strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, a reassuring voice in her ear, a feather-light touch to her forehead.  
She jumped into a standing position and grabbed the Twix bar, before quickly making her way to the skills labs, hoping she’d find Amelia there - and with her some answers because this was simply driving her insane.

“What did you tell him?” After searching for her sister-in-law she finally found her in one of the labs, absorbed in whatever she was trying to figure out now. But at that moment Meredith didn’t really care.  
Amelia looked up, something making a whizzing sound in the background, and raised an eyebrow at her. “Told whom what?”  
“Andrew! Did you tell him I was sick because just now he asked me if I was feeling better!”, she answered, and didn’t quite understand why she was so upset about this. What did it matter? He was just being nice, probably.  
“I didn’t tell him anything, Mer. He was the one who told me.”, the other woman clarified and put down the instruments she had been working with and looked at her quizzically. “Are you sure you’re alright?”  
“Yeah.” Meredith waved her off and paced around in the small lab, deep in thought. She could feel Amelia’s eyes rest on her.  
“Meredith, what’s going on?”, the dark-haired woman eventually asked exasperated and stood up, putting herself in Meredith’s path to make her look at her.  
The blonde surgeon stopped in her tracks and frowned. “When did he tell you?”  
“Are you telling me you don’t remember?”  
“What? I had a fever, my mind can’t put the pieces together. So no, I don’t. What should I remember?”, she asked in an annoyed tone and raised her eyebrows at Amelia, crossing her arms over her chest.  
Amelia laughed suddenly, before calming down again, a huge grin on her face, like she knew something Meredith didn’t. And she probably did. That’s why Meredith had come here in the first place. She was starting to regret that decision.  
“I haven’t seen you like this...in a while.”, the younger woman eventually said and Meredith felt like strangling her. She rolled her eyes because she knew what Amelia meant by that and it wasn’t something she wanted to get into right now, not with another person at least. Not when she hadn’t figured this out herself. Whatever _‘this’_ meant.  
“Alright, calm down tiger.” Amelia went to sit down again. “You weren’t feeling well but whenever someone kept telling you to go home, you either snapped at them or walked away annoyed. Andrew realised that, and that you were sick, and just wanted to make sure you took care of yourself. He persuaded you to take a nap before your next surgery and guarded the door so you could sleep without any interruptions. I think he also brought you something to eat and drink.”

Meredith felt memories prick at the back of her mind and remembered him pushing her into the on-call room and arguing with her. It made her heart beat a little faster that he cared enough about her to even bother trying. She knew she could be stubborn. She shook her head again. Not a road she wanted to go down.  
“I came by then and after a moment he told me you were sleeping and that you were sick. After your nap, I wanted to take you home and we had a little argument, but you eventually gave in. But then I got called to the pit and Andrew did that instead. He drove you home and got you settled in, told me later you had a headache and that you threw up. He was just worried about you, Mer. That’s why he asked you today.” Amelia finished and watched Meredith carefully for a reaction.  
“Oh.” The sound escaped her lips in a quiet whisper and she could only stare at Amelia.  
“Look Mer, I don’t know what this thing between you two is...but he’s a good guy, and he cares a great deal about you. So if there’s a chance you might feel the same way, talk to him. And stop ignoring him because you’re scared.”  
The blonde surgeon stared at her and let the words sink in. What did she feel?  
“There’s nothing there...” she absentmindedly told her, but it was missing the heat she’d normally put in such a statement. The memories slowly came back to her and she realised how much Andrew did for her that day and it took a second for her to notice the pointed look Amelia threw her way. “Oh, really now? That’s why you went all crazy on me just now, yeah? Because there’s nothing there?” She shook her head unbelievingly at her, huffing.

Meredith was taken aback by her words for a moment and tilted her head, before standing up straight again. She wasn’t ready for this conversation, not at all. “I-...thank you, Amelia.” She turned and left the room before the other woman could say another word, already too distracted by her memories.  
Andrew had made sure no one would bother her and got her home safely, he held her steady when she wasn’t and was even there for her when she threw up! But beside all that, she now also remembered how he had reacted to her words.  
_“I promise I won’t leave if I can help it. But that is a conversation for another time.”_  
She also remembered how it made her feel: safe, comforted, warm and even...loved. Things she hadn’t felt in a while.  
She took a deep breath as the elevator doors closed behind her, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she remembered the chaste kiss he had planted on her forehead.  
She leaned against the walls and closed her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips as she tried to recall everything else that happened. She mulled over Amelia’s words and went over the events of the day in her head.  
She couldn’t quite grasp all of it but the warmth and comfort were present in her mind. And she thought she could still feel his arms around her, hugging her to his side, steadying her, comforting her. It made warmth pool inside of her while her heartbeat quickened. It also made her want to feel that again.  
Those were the kind of things that scared her but also excited her at the same time.  
And as the elevator doors opened, she thought she might have to talk to him about all this, just to make some sense of it. And thank him, maybe, because he did take care of her, after all.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Amelia looked at Andrew watching Meredith and felt a smirk form on her lips. She knew he was a bad liar the day he took Meredith home but damn, he was making it so obvious for everyone to see how he felt about her sister. It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad at the same time.  
She knew Meredith was looking for Andrew. Whatever she said and thought during their conversation in the lab, that she was sure of. Meredith didn’t come storming in to start interrogating her about someone if it didn’t mean something to her in some way.  
But Andrew didn’t move from what almost seemed to be a hiding spot and it caught her attention. He was simply watching her and Amelia thought he would’ve walked up to her by now, all smirks and flirty remarks. He wasn’t. It made her curious. She made her way over to him.  
“So I had an interesting conversation with Meredith today.”, she started and laughed lightly at seeing him jump a little.  
He turned to her, eyebrows raised and tilted his head, as if asking her to continue. When she didn’t elaborate he gave in and asked. “And what about?”  
“You.” she simply stated and shrugged, watching the surprise form on his face with interest. “You didn’t forget the talk we had when she was sick, did you?”  
She wondered if she should push them a little, just so she wouldn’t need to watch them pining for each other. But Andrew surprised her a second later when he looked her dead in the eye and began talking.  
“Amelia, I appreciate you trying to help, I really do, but right now I can’t do this. I need to figure out how to talk to her and say the things I want to say without her running away from them, from me. Because I heard your conversation in that lab, today. And before you ask, I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, I just came by and heard you talking...”, he hesitated and ran a hand over his face, taking in a deep breath. “But I also know what she said to me when she was sick, when there was no one around judging or listening…so I know. But this is new for me too.” He gestured with his hands, a slightly lost expression on his face. “And I know that she runs away from these things, she’s been doing so for over a month now. Probably before I was ever in the picture.” He laughed dryly and shook his head. “Thank you, for trying to help, but I’m kind of preoccupied right now.” He had turned away from her and was watching Meredith standing at the nurse’s station, a contemplative look on his handsome features.  
“Well, DeLuca. It seems I don’t need to say something after all.” Amelia replied eventually and wondered if she could help him somehow. Because after everything her sister went through, the people she’s lost...she deserved to be happy again like she herself felt with Owen. She wondered when she started to think like that again but discarded the thought soon after. She could dwell on that later.  
“Meredith values honesty, Andrew. Even if it scares her. And don’t tell her I said that because she hates being scared of things and people knowing about it even more. But she’s lost a lot of people and...well.” She swallowed and stopped mid-sentence. This was not where she wanted to go or the point she wanted to make.  
She touched Andrew’s arm and made him turn around to look at her. “Don’t think about what or how you want to say it. There will be no right way. Just do it. And she might be less inclined to...run than you might think right now. Which doesn’t mean she won’t try. But well, you’re making her smile in a way I haven’t seen since...well, in a while.” She smiled at him and cocked her head to the side, wanting the words to sink in. “Just do it.”  
Andrew watched her for a long moment before he simply nodded. He diverted his gaze to Meredith’s form once more, still charting and chatting to a nurse, smiling every once in a while.

She watched the both of them for a moment in silence, before something Andrew said finally registered with her. “Wait, what did she say to you?” The curiosity in her voice was evident.  
Andrew shook his head, laughing breathlessly in a way that made his eyes twinkle with warmth and affection. “Something that made me sure I have a shot,” he answered and while he didn’t tell her what exactly it was, it was enough for Amelia. At this moment at least.  
“Alright, then go be a man, DeLuca.”  
She grinned as she walked away, hoping her sister would find another happy ending here, in the place where everything just seems to be taken from her.  
She shuddered and shook her shoulders, wanting to wash off that thought.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Meredith saved the last of her changes in the patient’s file and put the tablet away, before making her way over to the elevators.  
She hadn’t seen Andrew the rest of the day and part of her wondered if he was avoiding her, but couldn’t quite figure out why he’d feel the need to. Because just this morning he’d given her a Twix bar and since then she hadn’t seen him around. _Probably just busy in the OR…_ , she told herself and pushed one of the buttons, pacing a little, caught up in her thoughts. She wondered how she could go about this, talking to him. Should she do it here somewhere? Or...ask him out?  
She rolled her eyes a little because this made her feel like a young school girl again and she wasn’t used to that anymore. And they all knew how well asking her out had gone in the past for both men...though she didn’t really care about Link now, did she?

She heard the elevator ding as it announced its arrival and stopped pacing, instead walking into the elevator and pushing the button to her desired floor, waiting for the doors to close again.  
But a hand pushed itself in between at the last second and the man she had been looking for suddenly stood in front of her and she just stared at him, feeling her heartbeat quicken. She wasn’t prepared.  
“Meredith!” Andrew exclaimed and grinned at her, before entering. He strode purposefully towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. Meredith felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of the determination in his eyes and unconsciously took a step backwards, overwhelmed by the sudden tension filling the room, until she could feel the cold wall pressing against her back.  
_When did it get so warm in here?_ , she thought breathlessly and wanted to say something, but no words left her mouth, instead, she found herself gaping at Andrew, who was now standing mere centimetres from her, still looking at her with that intense gaze that made it hard to focus.  
“Andrew?”, she whispered back and stood up a little straighter, as if wanting to challenge him. She thought he might have an idea of the effect he just had on her and she wanted to keep at least a little of her dignity in front of him and not melt into a puddle.  
“I was wondering if we could talk.” He said the words quickly, as if he was afraid he might not get them out otherwise.  
“I...yes, of course.” She tilted her head to the side and wondered what he so desperately wanted to talk to her about. “I was looking for you to ask the same, actually.” she added as an afterthought and saw how Andrew smiled at her words as if it took some weight off his shoulders.  
“Great, you free right now?” It sounded urgent to him and in her head, she went through her tasks for today and found she had finished them all already, even her surgeries were done.  
“I guess so, yeah.”  
He nodded and for a moment it looked like he wanted to lean in closer, but he pulled back the last second and took a step back instead, leaning on another side of the elevator.  
Meredith was confused.  
“I know just the place.” He grinned at her and pushed a button.  
They continued their ride in silence, every once in a while stealing a glance at each other, but neither saying a word.

When they finally got to the floor he wanted to get out on, Andrew weaved his fingers through Meredith’s, surprising her with the motion, and pulled her with him.  
Meredith just followed him, snaking her other hand around the arm that was holding her right hand.  
“Where are we going?” she finally asked, trying but failing to recognise the floor.  
“You’ll like it.” He sounded so sure and excited, that she just smiled and kept silent for the rest of the way.  
She had to admit, this wasn’t exactly how she had anticipated their talk, but she also had to admit that she was relieved he took the initiative, before she talked herself out of this and just buried everything inside of her.  
He pushed the big door in front of them open with one hand and suddenly Meredith found herself on one of the rooftops of the hospital. The sun was setting and the wind brushed through her hair, but it wasn’t cold or unpleasant. Rather, it seemed to calm her nerves somewhat and she took a deep breath, turning her eyes to smile at Andrew who she then noticed was already looking at her. He turned so he was standing in front of her and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, before letting the hand fall to his side.  
The other was still holding onto hers.  
He took a deep breath. “There are some things I want to say to you, Meredith. And they are important and kinda terrifying to me, and I’m gonna keep holding your hand. Because I want you to listen and hear me out until the end and not run away, alright?”  
A little taken aback, she nodded and felt like her heart wanted to burst out of her chest. Not what she had expected. But didn’t she really?  
“Good.” Another shaky breath and she squeezed his fingers reassuringly, but he kept looking at her, mouth opened to say words, but none coming out.  
She bit her lip to hide her smile and stepped a few centimetres closer, to lay her other hand on his chest. She would’ve found the surprise on his face and the wide eyes funny, if she wasn’t so nervous herself. It’s been a while since she opened herself up to someone.  
“Let me start then, alright?” She felt his strong and fast heartbeat under her palm and it calmed her somewhat, gave her the strength she needed. “Mostly, I just wanted to thank you, for...helping me when I wasn’t feeling well and taking me home. And all the things you did that day. I appreciate it, very much.” She swallowed and averted her gaze for a second, before looking up at him again, searching his eyes. Felt the bravery slipping. “And it got me thinking again, about you and this...whole situation.” She gestured between them and took another breath. “It’s not easy, with me. Because I don’t trust people easily and I just hate it when they leave. I don’t let people in. But you make me feel so...alive. And...and-”, she was choking on the words that wanted to get out so badly, not knowing where they’d take her.  
“Meredith.” Her name was uttered so softly as Andrew stroked his thumb over her cheek for a second that she closed her eyes at the motion. He let it settle there, her face cradled by his strong hand. “It’s okay. I understand it, and I won’t let you run away just like that because...I really care about you. A lot. And I don’t want to lose that chance right here. And I know there’s some baggage there but I’ve got some too. And maybe we can share that. And I also know you come as a package deal. I know you have three kids you love dearly who will always be your first priority.” He hesitated and she opened her eyes again to see him struggling to find the right words. He was closer now, so that their foreheads were almost touching. “I’m asking you to give me a chance, Meredith. To take you out on dates, to get to know you. And your kids, when you’re ready. And I’m saying that I’m all in, if you let me. No more games and no running.”  
The hand that was holding hers let go and wandered up to cradle the other side of her face.  
He was looking at her, all earnest and caring and she felt the urge inside of her to run, from these feelings, from him and all he was offering. It was almost overwhelming because this was serious and terrifying and so real. She was scared of all he offered and what could happen.  
But she also desperately wanted it, him, all of him.  
So she didn’t run, instead pressed her palm harder against his chest, grounding herself with the gesture and letting her head fall forward so that their foreheads were indeed touching now. “You’ll have to be patient with me.” she whispered to him, and felt him lift his head so he could look at her properly. She calmed slightly at the sight of his face lighting up as the words and their meaning slowly sunk in. He grinned brightly at her before finally pulling her to him, his lips meeting hers in a gentle kiss for the first time since the drunken kiss they shared at the wedding.  
She could feel his beard tickle her cheek and felt a tingle at the sensation that travelled right to her toes and grabbed onto his shoulders tightly to steady herself.  
What started as a short and rather soft kiss quickly turned urgent and passionate as the need to make up for lost time grew stronger. Meredith had to smile against Andrew’s lips, feeling relieved and happy for the first time in weeks, as she buried one hand in his soft locks while the other travelled over his broad back, and her heart pounded excitedly in her chest. She could feel Andrew’s hands caressing her neck, running through her hair, and over her back, her shoulders and her waist, tugging her into him but still respecting a certain line part of her wished he’d just cross, while the other was relieved when he didn’t. They pulled apart after a few moments, breathing heavily, both wearing a grin on their faces.  
Andrew’s thumb stroked over her reddened and swollen lips, before yet again brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. It was so soft and gentle that it almost made Meredith weak in the knees.  
“You better keep that promise you gave me in that elevator, Andrew.” she breathed in a soft tone and smiled at him through her lashes.  
There was insecurity shining through her words that Andrew caught up on.  
“You better believe I will.”, he replied after a moment and excitedly met Meredith in another kiss, as this time she was the one pulling him closer. She melted against him and let herself get lost in the feeling of his lips against her own, relished in it. Let her hands wander the way she had wanted them to for a long time now.

This would be nowhere close to easy, but with him, she felt like she was ready to tackle it all, her fears and doubts and everything else.  
It was the beginning of something new and she was excited to see where it’d take her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. :)  
> How surprised was everyone at the ending of 15x12? And 15x13? :D  
> Let me know. :)


End file.
